


Lightning Strikes

by Rynne



Category: Flight Rising
Genre: Brightshine Jubilee 2016, Consortium of Privateers, Curse of the Black Pearlcatcher, F/F, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, Lesbian Dragon Pirates, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-30
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-07-19 03:06:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7342138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rynne/pseuds/Rynne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Calico John's crew has a harrowing moment in a storm while sailing too close to the Shifting Expanse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lightning Strikes

**Author's Note:**

> I blame jinian. And carmine. And kuna. The prose is not quite as purple as I feel it should be, and the "lusty pirates" are more implied, but that's about as much as I can do with dragons. XD
> 
> Characters are from Light Flight's 2016 Brightshine Jubilee story, [The Curse of the Black Pearlcatcher](http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/frd/1896127).

Dark clouds roiled across a sky that should have been clear. Light flashed among them -- once, twice, too many times. Ahead, the waves were starting to churn like an angry Mantarune flailing furiously at a team of attacking dragons.

"Storm ahead, Captain!" Heidi the Rambra called from her watch. Gladeloser hung onto her ridges as she swooped down from the Storm Seeker's nest, chirping in her ear in protest for the sudden movement.

"I told you we were too close to the Shifting Expanse," Ursula complained, shooting a glare at Calico John.

"I told you, I had a lead," the Fae replied. He hovered in place, unmoved and unimpressed. "Some Lightning clan took off to join the Tidelord and dropped some of their valuables on the way."

"We can make it!" Noelle called, twirling around the main mast and herself. "I want that treasure!"

Luka nodded when Calico John looked at them. "It's a lightning storm. They happen. We can't allow them to turn us back," the Sprite declared.

Ursula snorted. "You aren't the ones who have to deal with it," she pointed out. Even so, she drew her wings in, acknowledging the decision.

Heidi the Rambra could not help, however, but feel a shiver of foreboding. Sailing near the Shifting Expanse was always tricky work. Would this be the time lightning made it through Ursula?

Proud, brave, powerful Ursula. Heidi could never tell her how much she admired her. If Ursula should reject her...it would be too painful to remain on such a small ship. Better to remain the Skydancer's friend and crewmate.

Still, as Ursula flew up and stretched out her wings, Heidi could not help but admire her. Blue as the churning seas below them, her lemon underbelly and wing highlights a beacon through the storm, Ursula cast a powerful Reflect above the ship.

Heidi followed her own duties, but she always tried to keep Ursula at the edge of her vision. The Skydancer was somehow enchanting enough for Heidi to risk the Captain's ire if he noticed her split attention.

Then, a crash!

Lightning hit Ursula's Reflect and bounced away, but it seemed as if that only got the storm's attention. More lightning strikes pounded Ursula's spell, again and again, as the rest of the crew fought to keep the ship upright and on course through waves that wanted to devour them whole.

They were almost out of the storm's path when the unthinkable happened. Lightning had struck one particular point on Ursula's spell enough times to weaken it, and with one more arching flash, it hit again -- and broke through. Heidi felt her heart stop as the next bolt struck Ursula before the Skydancer could move. She started to fall backwards.

"URSULA!" she called. Panic overtook her. She couldn't think. She didn't want to. Without sparing even a thought for what Calico John would think, Heidi the Rambra darted away from her post and up to Ursula, Gladeloser shrieking protest as he was left behind, and caught the other dragon before she had dropped more than a few feet.

"HEIDI!" the Captain shouted. "Get back here and help out!"

Heidi could not. Slowly, wings beating against the winds buffeting the two of them, Heidi lowered Ursula to the deck. "You'll be all right," she said, leaning forward to nuzzle her head against Ursula's. The Skydancer tilted her head at Heidi in dazed confusion, and Heidi swallowed. "You'll be all right," she said again.

Heidi the Rambra returned to her post, knowing they were not quite out of danger yet. She helped guide the ship away from the last of the storm, always keeping an eye on Ursula where she rested on the deck.

When it was over, Heidi knew she should pay more attention to the Captain shouting at her, but she could not. Ursula was fine. The crew was fine. The ship was fine. She could take whatever punishment Calico John would give her.

In the end, though, he only assigned her the bulk of the repair work for what had been damaged in the storm and reduced her share of the treasure they were seeking. Heidi accepted the punishment easily. Ursula was worth more than any treasure.

That night, the skies were clear again. Heidi perched on the railing of the upper deck and looked up at the stars.

"Well," Ursula said from behind her, startling Gladeloser into an undignified yelp. "That was interesting."

"You're my crewmate," Heidi replied, hunching inward a little. "We take care of our crew."

"Yes," Ursula allowed, prowling towards Heidi. "But not usually so...fervently. Desperately."

"You're our best mage," Heidi said, leaning back a little before she remember she was on the railing and there was nowhere to go.

"Hmmm," Ursula hummed. "Is that it?" She stopped close enough to Heidi for the Nocturne to see starlight glinting off her forehead gem.

"Ursula?" Heidi asked, then stopped, not sure what to say.

"I think I should thank you," Ursula informed her, and wound her tail around Heidi's. "You saved my life, didn't you? I think that deserves some thanks."

"I...if that's what you want," Heidi managed. This couldn't be real. Could it? Ursula's warmth wrapping around Heidi, exactly as she'd dreamed so many times before? Surely it was just a dream again.

But her feathers felt different against Heidi's scales than she had imagined -- and she had never considered how Ursula might use her magic.

Before too long, Gladeloser flew away in disgust, leaving the two dragons to the deck.


End file.
